I’ve Never Won The Thyestes, But This Could be The Year

We’ve got plenty of runners at Gowran Park this week and hopefully Prince of Scars will run in the Galmoy Hurdle. We also have Mala Beach and Ucello Conti spear-heading our Thyestes Chase challenge.

Gowran Park
It’s a rematch between Prince of Scars and Martello Tower in the Galmoy, but our lad has come out of the race at Christmas well and we are hoping for another good show. We haven’t done a whole lot of galloping with him, he’s a big framed horse and he doesn’t need a whole lot of tough work. He seems in great form and we’re excited to run him on Thursday all being well.

I’ve never won the Thyestes before but feel I’ve a strong hand this year.

Second was as good as I managed before when Tarquinius was beaten just a head in the race back in 2013. Mala Beach and Ucello Conti are the pick of our horses in it this year and I can’t wait to see how they perform on the day. You need a really well handicapped horse to win this race and Ucello Conti had a great run in a big handicap chase at Christmas but he’s gone up seven pounds in the handicap as a result.

Mala Beach actually won the Galmoy Hurdle a couple of years ago on this very card. He has a bit of class, won a few graded races, and he could be the dark horse in the Thyestes. I was happy with his performance at Ascot, the ground was a bit quick but he galloped the whole way and we were very happy with him.

Weekend Round-Up
Roi Des Francs and Ponte Alexandre ran great races over the weekend and you’d have to say that they’re two good staying novices. You’d imagine they’ll either go for the RSA or the Four Mile Chase. They’d be two nice horses to have. I’ve got the trump card for the RSA in No More Heroes and he’s in great form.

Another nice staying novice ran over the weekend in Black Hercules. He did what he had to do and he probably couldn’t have done any more but I wouldn’t swap my horse! The horse I’d be most worried about is Jonjo O’Neill’s More Of That. No More Heroes got an entry into the Gold Cup but he’ll more than likely go for the RSA.

Killultagh Vic was brilliant also. He was the most impressive out of all the novice chasers over the weekend. Never mind nearly falling and getting back up, take that out of it, I thought he was very professional. Whatever race he goes for at Cheltenham he’s going to take an awful lot of beating. He’s a versatile horse, he’s going to get entries from the Arkle right up to the four miler.

I’d prefer not to be taking Killultagh Vic on.

Desoto County was a little bit unlucky at Leopardstown. I’d imagine we’ll go for the County Hurdle at Cheltenham with him. He ran a great race, a bit unlucky in running but that’s the way it goes and he’ll be there for another day.

Jockey News
It would be great to see Paul Carberry back, he was hoping to be back for Cheltenham but he’s going to be out for another while now and he’s a big loss to us. Please God he’ll be back to full strength soon. He’ll be serious about getting another winner before he retires.

It was great for National Service to win at Wolverhampton and Kempton over the weekend, he’s been disappointing and both Liam Keniry and Timmy Murphy did a great job. They’re two great lads.